This sign on Bradford Drive marked the spot where a new facility for the National Solar Observatory would have been built. (The Huntsville Times file photo)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The National Solar Observatory is not coming to Huntsville, The Times has learned.

Huntsville's pursuit of the National Solar Observatory came up short today when the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy opted to place its directorate headquarters in Boulder, Colorado at the University of Colorado.

The news came as a disappointment to the city and the University of Alabama in Huntsville, which has worked for more than a year to lure the NSO to the UAH campus.

In an email sent just now, University of Alabama System Chancellor and interim UAH President Dr. Malcolm Portera expressed "disappointment" over not landing the NSO.

"We're disappointed that our campus was not chosen as the preferred site for the National Solar Observatory headquarters," Portera said in the statement. "While this is not the decision we had hoped for, UAHuntsville will continue to identify and pursue highly competitive, global opportunities.

"This university and the University of Alabama System have made a strong commitment to solar physics in the long term. There has been tremendous growth at the university in astrophysics and solar physics, and our ability to compete at this level was not possible a few years ago."

Dr. Robert Altenkirch was hired last week to be the new UAH president but won't be on campus until November.

Team Huntsville, which collaborated on the NSO project, included NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, city officials and other community leaders in addition to UAH.

The NSO has said it will take up to 70 high-paying jobs to its new site with an annual payroll of $20 million.

The project held such significance for Huntsville that Gov. Robert Bentley traveled with a contingent of Huntsville and UAH officials to help convince NSO employees that North Alabama was the best destination.

NSO is operated by AURA under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation for the benefit of the astronomical community.

According to the NSO, its mission is to advance knowledge of the Sun, both as an astronomical object and as the dominant external influence on Earth, by providing forefront observational opportunities to the research community.

The mission includes the operation of cutting edge facilities, the continued development of advanced instrumentation both in-house and through partnerships, conducting solar research, and educational and public outreach.

Here is Portera's statement in full:

We're disappointed that our campus was not chosen as the preferred site for the National Solar Observatory headquarters. While this is not the decision we had hoped for, UAHuntsville will continue to identify and pursue highly competitive, global opportunities. This university and the University of Alabama System have made a strong commitment to solar physics in the long term. There has been tremendous growth at the university in astrophysics and solar physics, and our ability to compete at this level was not possible a few years ago.

UAHuntsville and the greater Huntsville area are home to very talented and extremely intelligent people. Team Huntsville produced an excellent proposal and a lot of people are deserving of our thanks for their support. These individuals and groups stepped up for the university: Gov. Robert Bentley, the Alabama Development Office, Alabama's federal delegation, the state legislature, NASA, UAHuntsville faculty and staff, the UAH Foundation, the cities of Huntsville and Madison, Madison County, the chamber of commerce, the Space & Rocket Center, SciQuest, our corporate partners and many others.

We congratulate the University of Colorado and look forward to working together to advance knowledge and the science of solar physics.